Danny and Kara- after season 1
by Blackshade379
Summary: This is a story of how I think the story should go directly after the end of episode 10. This will mostly be Danny and Kara, but I might do some others. Let me know what you think by posting a review Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with The Last Ship
1. Chapter 1

"Nathan James, where are you?" Chandler asked again

His radio call went unanswered. No-one from the ship was responding. That meant the bridge crew was either not there or they weren't able to get to the radio. Either way, something bad must have happened.

"Anything, captain?" Burk asked when he noticed his captain's empty stare

Tom just shook his head, not looking over at the officer. He was still too deep in though to pay attention to anything.

_'__What the hell is going on?' _Tom thought _'There's no way that Mike would willingly leave the bridge unattended. They must be under attack somehow'_ he realised

"Come on Burk, we gotta move- find out what's happening" he ordered

Tom walked over to where his father and children were still crouched on the ground waiting. His father was muttering comforting words into the kids' ears, trying to stop them from panicking. Tom tried to think of what to do with them. No matter what, he had to make sure what was left of his family was kept safe.

Tom racked his brain to try and think of a place for them to go. He hadn't been to Baltimore that many times before, so there were few places that he knew of. But, then, it clicked.

"Dad…" Tom said to get the older man's attention "there's an old restaurant on St James street, near the edge of the city. Do you know it?" when he nodded, Tom continued "Good. Take the kids there and wait for me. I'll get to you as soon as I can"

Tom took a moment to look at his children. How they looked so much like their mother

"You be good for your granddad, okay kids?" he asked them quietly, doing his best to smile at them reassuringly

"Okay daddy" they both said in unison, still clinging to their grandfather's jacket tightly

Tom nodded to his father and they rose at the same time

"Keep them safe" Tom said to his father

"I will" he said as he took one of the kids' hands into each of his own and began walking down the street, away from Tom

When they turned round the corner and Tom could no longer see them, he put his mind back to the task at hand

"What do we do now, sir?" Burk asked him

Tom sighed as he rested his hands on his hips "Get back to the docks and find out what's going on. Maybe see if we can link up with Lt. Green and Jeter. Hopefully, they won't have gotten mixed up in whatever's going on yet"

Burke nodded in agreement and followed as his captain led the way towards the dock, on foot.

…

Tom walked through the darkened streets of Baltimore. So far, they hadn't run into a single person yet- not the inhabitants, his crew or Granderson's men.

The docks was just a few blocks away from them. He thought he could hear the sound of helicopters in the distance coming from the direction of his ship. He still couldn't see the _Nathan James _but he was damned sure whatever was going on was big.

"Captain" a voice called out to him from his left

Tom looked around and spotted Lt. Green as he exited one of the warehouses, Jeter close behind him, clutching his wounded shoulder

"Lieutenant. Thank god you're alright" Tom greeted

"Likewise, sir" Danny greeted as he came to a stop next to the captain

"We were just heading back to find you guys. How you holding up, chief petty officer?" he directed towards Jeter

"Good enough to hold a weapon, sir" he said stubbornly as he gestured towards the gun in his hands

"That's good to hear – you may be needing it. Have you been able to find out anything?" Tom asked, nodding in the docks direction

"Yes, sir. Somehow, Granderson's men seem to have taken control of the ship. They've got it locked down tight. They've taken the bridge crew hostage and I think they've got reinforcements on the way from their base" Danny reported

Tom cursed under his breath and sighed heavily.

_'__Goddamn it, Granderson. You and your self-righteous bullcrap!'_

So, that meant that his crew were all hostages as well. Every single one of them was in danger and it was up to the captain to get them out.

"Captain, from what I saw, we're not gonna be able to take the ship back with just the four of us" Jeter pointed out "Way I see it, we'll be needing some help"

"Not to be a pessimist or anything, captain, but, we don't exactly have that many friends round here" Burke said as he waved one of his arms around for emphasis "Who _can _we ask for help now that Granderson's turned against us?"

Tom just looked at Burke with a one-sided smirk "I think I might have a few ideas" was all he said

…

"Sir, are you sure about this?" Danny questioned as he, Burke, Jeter and the captain walked back into the more populated areas of Baltimore

"I remember Granderson talking about a group- she called them 'rebels'- in the city that have been fighting against her for a while now. They sounded organised and capable and they might just be interested in helping us. Now, we just have to find them" Tom reasoned

It was several minutes of searching later before they actually found someone to talk to. They spotted a hooded man, hunched over a fire who had his back to the approaching group.

"Hey!" Tom called out to him, startling the man "Mind if I talk to you for a sec?" he asked as he walked up to the man. Instead of talking, the man tried to run – out of fear or just not wanting to talk to others, Tom didn't know- but, Danny was on his heels in an instant, dragging him back.

"Look, man, I-I don't want any trouble" the man stuttered out in response, wrapping his arms around his chest almost protectively. Damn kept a firm grip on the man's arm

"Relax, I just wanna ask you some questions" Tom assured him "The men fighting against Granderson. Where can I find them?" he asked seriously

"I-I don't know what you mean man" the man answered quickly, _too_ quickly. Tom didn't buy it for a second

"Son, my people are in danger and I need their help to rescue them. I'm_ asking_ you to tell me. That's all I want to know" Tom said

"I'm telling you man, I don't know anything" the man tried again

Danny rolled his eyes. This wasn't getting them anywhere. Time for a new approach. He roughly threw the man in his grip against the wall and slammed his arm to the side of the man's head threateningly.

"You listen to me, and you listen_ right now_" Danny growled "The woman I love and my unborn child are currently in danger and I'm _not _really feeling too patient right now. Do you really think there is anything I won't do to protect them! Now, WHERE ARE THEY?!" he screamed the last bit the man

"Okay! Okay! Okay" the man said, holding his hands up in surrender "They operate out of an old office building. The place is called 'R&amp;S'. I don't know how many men there are, but, there are a lot of them" he rushed to say

Danny quickly looked the man up and down to make sure he wasn't lying. When he was satisfied, Danny released the man and stepped back slightly.

"Anything else captain?" Danny asked

"Just one thing…" Tom said. He stepped up next to the man "Tell me about their leader" he demanded

"The guy runs by the name Thorwald. No-one ever really sees him but he's effective. That's all I know, I swear" he said, glancing nervously at Danny.

"Thanks for your help" Tom said as he nodded to the man "Burk, give this man one of your ration packs" he instructed as he started to walk down the street again.

"Yes, sir" Burke said as he passed a small packet to the man before following the captain.

"What now, captain?" Jeter asked

"Now, we see just what kind of people these guys are"

…

Tom, Danny, Jeter and Burke cautiously approached the building. By the looks of it, it used to be a loading bay for trucks. There were two men stood intimidatingly by the door, carrying guns strapped to their chests.

"My name is Captain Thomas Chandler" Tom said with his hands raised non-threateningly "I'm from the USS Nathan James. I've come to speak with your leader. I believe he calls himself 'Thorwald'"

"Sure. Drop your weapons, first" one of the two men taunted

"Not a chance" Danny told them

Tom held his hand up for Danny to be quiet as he tried again

"We just want to_ talk_" Tom stressed "I have a proposition for him that he might find interesting" he said

"Oh, really? Your little alliance with Granderson didn't work out for you, then?" the second guard joked

Tom stared at the floor for a second before returning his gaze upwards

"Look, I just think that-" Tom made the mistake of taking a step forward. All of a sudden, the two guards raised their weapons and pointed them at Tom. The response was instantaneous. Danny and Burke had their weapons raised as well, ready to defend their captain. Every one of them was yelling at each other, their voices mixed up with each other's. It turned into a standoff and Tom was standing right in the middle of it.

"Wait!" a voice thundered from inside the building. Seconds later, a middle-aged man with greying hair and short stubble wearing a black t-shirt and trousers came walking out "Cool it, guys" he instructed. As if it was an order, the two guards lowered their weapons and returned to a casual stance.

"I take it you're Thorwald" Tom assumed "My name is-"

"I know who you are" Thorwald interrupted "We've been monitoring Granderson's communications for a while now. I take it since you and I are actually speaking, you've realised what's _actually _going on" he said. There was no heat in his voice, just curiosity

"I have" Tom said "And, I came here to ask for your assistance. I need your help to take back my ship"

Thorwald just smirked and rested his hands on his waist "Now, why would I want to do that?" he asked

Tom stepped forward-this time the guards didn't move- and looked up at Thorwald "Because, I think you want to get rid of Granderson just as much as you do. Hell, maybe even more" Tom said "You help me take back my ship, then I'll give you anything you need to take her down. Weapons, men, supplies- it's all on the _Nathan James, _and I'll use it to help you afterwards" Tom stuck his hand out "Do we have a deal?" he asked

Thorwald just stared at Tom's hand, considering it.

…

Kara was stood with her hands raised as she stared at Lt Norris, the Baltimore police officer. She was trying desperately to not antagonise the man holding the gun to her head. She wasn't just fearing for herself, but for the baby inside of her. She felt a slight wetness build up in the corner of her eyes.

_'__No. No, I'm not gonna cry now. Not here'_ she said to herself

So, Kara tried to stop the flow of tears that were about to fall. But, it obviously hadn't worked because soon she heard Norris

"What's wrong with you?" he asked truffle

Kara couldn't stop the single tear that ran down her cheek. She just couldn't stop herself from saying it. Even though it barely came out as a whisper

"I'm pregnant" she told him

Norris' eyes flashed down to her stomach for a second. He never stopped scowling but soon he readjusted his aim and pointed it at a more general direction towards everyone in the room, and not just at her anymore.

Kara heard the slight sounds of chattering filtering up from the crowd of her fellow cremated that had been forced to muster on the stern. Most of them confused, some of them panicked and some angry. Several helicopters hovered in the air next to the Nathan James while boats carrying men dressed in black and armed to the teeth slowly approached by sea.

"Now…" Norris started speaking again "What we're gonna do is-" he was cut off as a rocket burst out from one of the warehouses, a trail of smoke behind it. It collided directly into the side of one of the helicopters, blowing it to pieces.

A massive gunfight erupted. Groups of men tat Kara couldn't identify began to pour out from the warehouses, leaping onto the stern of the Nathan James. The crew ducked for cover when they realised they were in the middle of a _massive c_rossfire. Two clear sides formed- this new group and Granderson who were currently fighting for control.

Bullets sprayed the other two helicopters and one of them finally went down, crushing one of the boats as it hit the water, igniting a huge fireball.

There were hundreds of faces mixed in together on deck, but Kara only fixed on one.

Danny

Danny had come for her. Danny was _here. _Now she felt completely safe knowing that he was fighting for her, fighting to get to her and their baby. All was right in the world for her.

And, of course, that was when everything went south.

The third helicopter was finally brought down by another rocket that came flying out of the same warehouse as before. It went down, missing the Nathan James by mere feet. But, it was enough to rock the ship violently, jerking everyone to the side.

The sound of Norris' gun going off echoed throughout the bridge.

Kara hadn't even realised anything had happened until she felt a warm liquid on the tips of her fingers. She looked down at her stomach to see a gunshot wound protruding out of her. The blood was quickly turning her blue uniform to a dark, red stain.

Everything seemed to stop all of a sudden for Kara.

She barely registered Slattery charging up and tackling Norris to the ground when everyone was still recovering from being thrown off their feet.

Next, her legs gave out and she soon toppled to the floor. She thought she heard someone behind her scream her name, but, she couldn't be sure.

She heard the sound of the bridge door slamming open.

"KARA!" she heard a familiar voice- Danny- scream

Kara felt her body being cradled against someone's chest and strong arms wrap around her. She looked up to see that it was Danny, looking around him screaming at someone to '_get the doc!'_

She softly whispered up to him "Hey. You came"

"Yeah, I came. Course I came. When have you known me not to come, Kara…" Kara could tell Danny was panicking. He was talking quickly and trying to keep her mind active. Standard for medical assistance- always try to keep the person talking. "Eh? Even when you fell into the Arctic, I came. You remember Kara? All you wanted to do was see the glaciers as they went by. Didn't expect that reef to toss you overboard, I guess. Huh? Kara, come on? You remember, right?"

Kara felt a sudden urge to comfort the one she loved. She weakly raised her hand and pressed it up to Danny's cheek. All it did was smear blood over the side Danny's face, but he didn't care right now. Nothing mattered except Kara.

She quietly whispered to him "Hey, it's gonna be alright"

This only seemed to make Danny more on edge "Huh? Of course it's gonna be okay. You're definitely gonna be fine. I'm gonna make sure you're fine, okay? And, I'm not gonna hear another word about how 'over-bearing' or 'over-protective' I'm being, alright?" Danny said, not really thinking

Kara could only nod and whisper "Okay" she said weakly. Kara began to feel tired and she felt her eyelids begin to close.

"No, no, no, Kara. Come on, don't do that!"

Kara felt Danny shake her slightly, trying to wake her up more, bit she only felt more tired.

"Kara, come on, don't do this to me" she heard Danny say to her "Don't you close your eyes… No, come on Kara. Please. Please, keep your eyes open. KARA!

The last thing she saw before her eyes sealed was Danny screaming something she couldn't make out.

Then, darkness overtook her.

* * *

A\N: So, what happens to Kara? Does she survive? And, is the baby okay? Guess you're going to have to wait for the next chapter and read it.


	2. Chapter 2

Kara was awoken by the incessant noise of a heart rate monitor. Her eyes fluttered open and she immediately closed them again with a wince when the light nearly blinded her. Kara quickly realised that she was lying in some sort of a hospital bed.

When she was able to reopen her eyes, the first thing that she noticed was that this place was definitely _not_ the Nathan James. There was medical equipment everywhere around her bed which got on with whatever task they were meant to quietly in the background. The room she was in was spacious and the walls around her were made of polished, shiny wood. There was a large glass window to her right with a view of a forest outside. It looked like mid-morning with the sun high in the sky.

There was a faint sterile smell in the air around her. And, then it clicked. She was in a hospital. Or, at least a medical area in a larger facility.

What was she doing in a hospital? What the hell had happened?

Then, it all suddenly came crashing back to her. The ship being taken over. Amy Granderson's betrayal. Norris' gun in her face. Danny.

She had been shot when the captain had retaken the ship. And, now she was here. Wherever _here_ was.

Only when Kara properly looked around did she realize the sleeping figure at the foot of her bed. Danny was sat in a chair next to her bed with his head leaning over and pressed into the soft material of Kara's blanket. He had one of his hands tightly gripping Kara's.

By the looks of it, Danny hadn't moved from his position for quite some time. He looked exhausted, Kara realised. Kara couldn't help but smile at him. It wasn't often Kara was able to wake up to see Danny next to her.

Kara heard the door open to her left and was relieved when she saw Dr. Scott enter.

"Rachel" Kara greeted, quietly so as not to wake Danny

"Hello Kara" the doctor greeted with a smile

First names weren't a problem for the two of them anymore. After the discovery of Kara's pregnancy, she and Rachel had become quick friends. Since Doc Rios wasn't exactly an expert on pregnancies, Rachel had chosen to take over Kara's healthcare and outlining what Kara would eventually need to properly care for a developing baby.

"How are you feeling?" Rachel asked

"The baby?" Kara asked instead almost afraid of the answer

Rachel smiled softly "Missed it by that much" Rachel said as she held out her thumb and index finger, holding them barely a cm apart "You lost a lot of blood but we were able to get you stabilised and got you here before it was too late" she explained "You _both_ should be fine with a few weeks rest" she advised

Kara couldn't help the tear that rolled down the side of her cheek. She was so happy right now. The baby was fine. Danny was fine. They were all fine and all together.

"Uh…where is here, exactly?" Kara asked confused

Rachel took a moment to look around the hospital room "This is the medical section of Granderson's compound" when she saw the look of panic in Kara's face, she continued quickly "But, don't worry, the captain was able to take the place with little resistance with Norris' men taken care of. Right now, we're just using it to treat any wounds sustained in the attack. Everyone's still alive thankfully with mostly superficial wounds. But, as to how it happened, I'll leave that up to Lt. Green here to explain. I was in a prison cell for most of the fight anyway. And, as far as I know, Granderson and Norris along with anyone else supporting her have been subdued" Rachel finished explaining

Kara took everything in, but the only thing she thought to ask was "How long have I been out?"

Rachel shrugged "Almost two days" she answered

'_Wow. That's a new one' _Kara thought. The most sleep she had ever gotten on the Nathan James was just a few hours.

"You know, I don't think he's left your side since you got here" Rachel said gesturing to Danny "I heard he wouldn't let anyone else touch back on the ship except for Doctor Rios. And, when you got here, it took the captain, the XO _and _Burke to keep him from storming into the operating room as well. Now that you're awake, you should probably try getting him to eat something"

Kara had to resist the temptation to snort. '_That sounds like Danny_' she thought as she gazed down at Danny's still sleeping form.

"Thank you, Rachel. And, I will" Kara said

Rachel smiled brightly at Kara "You're quite welcome" she nodded "Now, I don't want to see you in the infirmary again for at least a week. Understood?" she teased

Kara had to roll her eyes at that one. No matter what Danny or anyone else kept telling her, she was _not_ accident prone.

Rachel gave one last smile before leaving.

When the door shut firmly, Kara looked down at Danny again. She gently squeezed her hand that was encompassed around Danny's. A moment later, he squeezed back. When Danny's eyes fluttered open, he smiled that great big grin that Kara always loved to see. Then, his brain seemed to kick in and instantly he was on his feet and talking

"Kara. You're awake. Oh, thank god" he said as he placed one of his hands to Kara's cheek "You scared me so much" Danny said, his voice barely above a whisper. There seemed to be a considerable lump in his throat as he continued speaking "Don't you ever do that to me again"

"Okay" Kara replied, on the verge of tears

Kara looked around the hospital room once more

"What happened?" she finally asked

"We were able to take out all of Granderson's men when we boarded the ship. Had a little help from a local rebel group led by a man named Thorwald. After the Nathan James was secured, the captain took a few of our guys and the rest of the rebels and came here. There were only a few guards left so we took care of 'em pretty quick" Danny looked down and gulped before continuing "After we got you stabilised, the doc thought they'd be able to treat you better here" he finished his explanation with a small sigh

"But… weren't the people here traitors? Are you sure we can trust them?" Kara asked warily looking at the door to her room expecting something to happen

"Apparently, most of the doctors here had their families held hostage underneath the base. And, when we freed them… let's just say they were pretty grateful. They've already started to produce the cure for us"

"Granderson and Norris?" she asked hesitantly

Danny's eyes darkened for a moment at the thought of the two people he currently hated most. Then, he looked back at Kara and his gaze immediately softened again.

"They're still alive" '_unfortunately' _Danny wanted to say but kept his mouth shut for fear of upsetting Kara "Locked up in one of the prison cells. Don't worry, captain's got them under guard. We're safe, Kara"

Kara smiled brightly. She pulled Danny down roughly and drew him into a kiss. Danny was quick to return the kiss and soon they were both lost in the moment.

Danny was the first to break contact with a chuckle "Kara, you just got shot. I think there'll be plenty of time for this when you're back on your feet" he said in a teasing manner" Get some rest Kara. I'll be right here" Danny reassured with a slight squeeze of his hand

"Okay" Kara nodded before slipping into a peaceful sleep.

…

Thomas Chandler and Thorwald were meeting in what remained of Granderson's office.

"Well, captain, it looks like you were a good investment after all" Throwers commented as he went through another desk drawer.

All they had found so far were plans for more facilities like Olympia and status reports on how their operation to power the city by burning the dead was going. It was all pretty grim stuff, but Tom felt he needed to know the complete truth about what his safe died because of. A form of closure.

He couldn't lead his crew properly if he was still mourning over his wife.

"I agreed to help you and that's exactly what I did" Tom replied truthfully "After all, if it wasn't for you, I'd still be stuck at the side of the road and my ship still in the hands of a genocide-committing dictator"

Thorwald just kept sifting through yet more paperwork as he answered with a simple "Guess so" after about 10 minutes of silence, Thorwald asked "So, what are your plans for Baltimore?"

Tom paused in his work, thinking for a moment "Honestly, I don't know" he said honestly "Because, I'm not going to be the one in charge"

That _did_ get Thorwald's attention. He flopped down the binder he was reading through and cast a curious glance towards the captain "What do you mean? After the senator, you're the highest ranking officer there is around here. Logically, the place falls to you"

"Yes, except you know Baltimore far better than I ever could. You've kept your men alive through a global pandemic, fought off Granderson when you were heavily outgunned and outnumbered and you display excellent leadership skills. I, personally, cannot think of a better man for the job"

Tom held out his hand once again for Thorwald to shake "So, what do you say. You want the job?" he asked

Thorwald thought about it for a moment and reached a decision. He gladly shook the captain's hand.

Tom nodded approvingly and smiled, glad that someone capable was now in charge of turning the city back to its former glory.

"What do you plan on doing now?" Thorwald asked

"There's still a mission to be done. We have the cure now and I've got to make sure that the world has it. I'll take my crew and my ship down the coast first. Then, on to other countries around the world. We'll try to find other labs that can mass produce the cure and distribute it. Hopefully I can get it to everyone before too many others die"

"Well, I wish you luck" was all Thorwald said

"I trust you will try to distribute the cure in the neighbouring areas as well once you are secure here" Tom said, an underlying threat in his tone

Thorwald nodded seriously "Of course"

"Olympia is still out there. And, there are bound to still be other of Granderson's men in the city as well" Tom reminded the warlord

"That'll be our next target. There are a lot of leftover weapons in this building. They'll come in handy when we start taking the fight to them" Thermals smiled internally at the thought of using their new toys and equipment in the coming battles

Tom nodded "Speaking of leftovers, I hope you won't mind if we take some supplies to replenish our stores on-board. It's been a while since my crew has had something fresh to eat"

"Of course. When do you plan on leaving exactly?"

"Perhaps a week. As soon as my crew are all healed, rested and ready to leave"

"It will be a shame to lose you, captain, but once again, I wish you luck"

"Thank you, Thorwald" Tom said as he left the room to try and find something to

In the corridors, the crew of the Nathan James, Thorwald's rebels and the remaining staff of Granderson's ex-regime mingled together. Some groups trading information about recent events. It was one thing to hear about news in the radio room, but it was quite another for them to hear about it first-hand.

Tom smiled at the easiness and calm aura that seemed to lift all the heavy burdens off their tired backs. Even if it didn't last long, for now they could relax and recuperate.

Tom could only hope the rest of his journeys would be smoother than Baltimore.

"Dad!" two high pitched voices called from across the room.

Tom's head immediately snapped towards the direction of where the voices and came from and was delighted when he saw his two children running up to him and his dad slowly walking behind them. He immediately grabbed his kids into a hug with a relieved sigh. He looked up at his dad, not letting go of his kids and mouthed the words '_thank you_'

"Found 'em exactly where you said they would be captain" Burke said as he walked over to the group "And, we picked up a passenger on the way back" Burke gestured to the side as a familiar Texan came walking up with a baseball shaped cap on his head

"Tex" Tom greeted "glad to see you're alright" he commented as he rose to shake the man's hand

"Good to see ya too cap'n" Tex greeted with his heavy southern accent

With a slight nod, Tex walked past Tom and his children and headed over to where the large group of people were happily eating their meal in the large, open canteen

"What is this?" he asked loudly "We've got a whole storage room full o' alcohol and no-one is drinkin'? Who does that? Come on people, let's get this party started"

Tom glared at the back of Tex's head and rolled his eyes

_So much for the peace and quiet_

* * *

A/N:This story Is not over yet. I've still got plans to continue on with my season 2 story- if I get good reviews anyway

See you next time :)


	3. Chapter 3

Summary - One shot. Danny goes with the captain into Avocet instead of Burke. Danny saves Kara from Hamada instead of Tex and Rachel. Thorwald lives instead of being shot. A teary conversation between Danny and Kara afterwards.

* * *

A/N: This work is based off of a request (sort of) from one of the reviews. I know it's been a while since I've written anything for either of my Last Ship stories but I hope I'm still able to write a good story. If not, let me know in a review.

* * *

Danny stood in the tunnels underneath the sub-basement of Avocet with Captain Chandler and Thorwald's rebels. Burke was waiting at Granderson's power station ready to turn off the power to the building above them.

Danny checked his watch "Sundown is in five minutes"

"We need to find our people and secure the lab" Chandler said

"Do what you gotta do. I only want Granderson" Thorwald said determinedly

…

Danny paced the length of the tunnel while the rebels packed the ceiling full of explosives. To say he was eager to get into Avocet and find Kara, the person he loved more than anyone else in the world was an understatement.

He was ready to kill anyone that tried to stand in his way. Danny was filled with rage at Granderson, at the corrupt cops that took the _Nathan James_ from them, at the 'desirable' people that were allowed to enjoy the benefits of living in safety while the rest of the world died around them. The captain had agreed to leave Granderson to Thorwald but if Danny happened to find her first…well, he made no promise to Thorwald.

Thorwald's second-in-command walked over to them "Almost there boss"

"Outstanding" Thorwald said "You ready?"

Captain Chandler checked his watch "Sun's been down for thirty minutes. It's dark enough. Let's turn out the lights. Pass word on to Burke"

"Roger that sir" Danny used his radio to send the Morse code message onto Burke, signalling that it was time.

A few minutes later, they received word from one of the spotters Thorwald had in place around the building "_The Avocet vans are leaving"_

"Alright detective, you're up" Chandler nodded to Thorwald

"Alright men, come on. Let's move. Let's move" Everyone ducked behind the walls for cover "Fire in the hole!"

One of the rebels pushed the detonator. The explosives punched a hole through the ceiling right where they had planned.

Thorwald's men clambered up the ladder into the Avocet complex. Chandler accepted a hand up from one of them as he followed them up.

Danny quickly clambered up the ladder. He peeked through the door into a dark corridor. He could hear voices approaching and the bright glare of flashlights. Two guards ran past the door on their way to god knows where.

Danny wrenched the door open and held his gun up. He fired down the corridor hitting the first guard in the shoulder. Before the second one could turn round, Danny charged at him and tackled the man to the ground.

Chandler ran up the over-eager lieutenant and quickly pointed his gun at the guard Green had shot through the shoulder. Chandler couldn't really blame Green for what he was doing. Only mere hours ago, he himself had charged half-cocked into Olympia searching for his wife.

Chandler didn't want anyone to go through the pain of losing a loved one. Especially in a plague ravaged world where so few people are still alive. So, if he could help Green find Kara before anything happened to her, then by god he was going to do whatever he had to.

Danny picked up the second guard by his jacket collar. He roughly slammed him against the wall "The woman you took off of the ship - where is she?" Danny growled

"I got no idea man" The guard replied looking nervously between Danny and Chandler

Danny slammed the man into the wall roughly again "Tell me where she is!"

"I don't _know_" the man insisted

Danny threw the man onto the floor next to the first guard. He pulled his sidearm out and pointed it at his head.

"How about now?" Danny asked

The two men both stared silently at Danny.

Danny aimed his gun to the left and pulled the trigger, missing the guy's head by a few inches.

"The next shot won't miss. I'll give you five seconds to tell me where Lieutenant Kara Foster is. Five..."

"We don't _know_" the first guard insisted

"Four..."

"Come on man, this isn't right"

"three…two…one"

"Alright! Alright" the second one exclaimed desperately lifting his hands to shield his face "Dr Hamada took her to surgery. Three floors up" he pointed to the staircase at the end of the corridor

"Surgery?" Danny frowned

"I'm not sure. Something about her baby"

Danny's face fell "No…" he breathed. Danny looked at Captain Chandler

"Go lieutenant" Chandler urged

Danny nodded gratefully and took off as fast as he could. He burst through the double doors and ran up the stairs.

…

Kara laid flat with her hands bound to the operating table. A few minutes ago, the power had gone out suddenly. Kara had never felt so relieved in her life when Dr Hamada had stopped what he was doing before he had been able to plunge that syringe into her stomach.

Some of the guards had run out of the room when they had gotten a call on their radio that Kara couldn't make out properly. But, it sounded panicked at the very least so that was a good sign. Things were not going well with Avocet.

Kara hoped – no, she prayed- to whoever was listen that it is Danny or at least someone from the _Nathan James _coming for her.

Kara looked at the nurse while Dr Hamada had his back to them. The other woman looked just as terrified as she probably did at this moment. Kara needed a way out and she was banking on the woman right now.

Finally, the nurse untied Kara's hands from the table. Kara looked over at Dr Hamada. He was still standing with his back to them and focusing on some kind of surgical equipment. Kara reached over to the tray next to her. She felt around for anything she might be able to use as a weapon. Eventually, she grabbed onto the large syringe and held it like her life depended on it. Which it probably did.

"Okay, let's do this" Dr Hamada said as he came over to the table

Kara rose up from the table and plunged the syringe directly into Dr Hamada's chest. Hamada yelled in agony and crumpled to the floor.

The guards that were still left in the room moved to restrain her again when suddenly a figure dressed in camo kicked the doors to the surgery open and fired on both guards in quick succession.

Kara gasped in fear when the blinding torchlight was shone in her face.

"Kara!" the figure lowered his torchlight and Kara was overwhelmed with joy when she recognised him.

"Danny" she said relieved

"Oh, my god" Danny said when he took in Kara's position on the table and her torn uniform "What have they done to you?" Danny untied Kara's legs and helped her off the table "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" he asked panicked

"I'm okay" Kara nodded. Danny looked Kara up and down for injuries. She pressed her hands against her abdomen "We're okay"

"Oh, thank god" Danny couldn't help himself. He reached forwards and brought Kara into a kiss. They lingered there for a moment or two , just in their own little world, oblivious to anything else. "We've got to get you out of here" he said "Can you walk?" he asked concerned. Danny would have no problem carrying Kara if she needed him to.

"I'm alright" she said as she started to walk towards the door.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa" Danny quickly leapfrogged around Kara so that he was in front. He peeked out the door and saw the place void of anyone else "Stay behind me, okay?"

Kara silently nodded and they both exited the surgical room. Danny led her down the corridor and into the stairway, back to the sub-basement.

…

Danny swiftly made his way down the sub-basement corridor. They hadn't run into a single Avocet worker or one of those highway cops. Danny considered himself lucky. He didn't want to risk Kara's safety any more than was absolutely necessary at least until he could get her back to the _Nathan James_ and have Doctor Rios check her over properly.

Danny drew his weapon when he spotted someone wearing an Avocet uniform appear from another corridor "Drop your weapon!" Danny demanded

"Whoa! Hey! It's me soldier-boy" Tex held his hands up in a placating manner

"Tex?" Danny lowered his gun "What the hell are you doing here?" he asked confused

"Heard about Granderson's little empire she's got going on here. Thought I'd take a look for myself"

Doctor Scott appeared behind Tex a moment later

Danny nodded in acknowledgement to the female scientist "It's good to see you Doctor. Are you alright?" Danny asked

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you Lieutenant. Lieutenant Foster, were you harmed in any way?"

"No, power went out before they could finish. Hamada's dead" Kara said

"Well, I hate to say that's good but…_good_" Rachel craned her head to the side. At least that's one less scientist to help Granderson continue with her Darwinian experiment.

"Yeah, by the way, what's going on? Where's the cap?" Tex asked

"We took down the crematorium and shut off the power to the building. Captain Chandler's gone to find Alisha Granderson"

Kara looked at Danny wide-eyed "Danny, you have to go help him" she urged

"What? No, I'm getting you out of here first" Danny shook his head

"Danny, please she's my best friend. I'll never forgive myself if something happens to her" Kara begged

"I'm not leaving you again!" Danny suddenly snapped

"It's alright soldier-boy" Tex interrupted the two officers argument "I'll make sure she gets out. Just go help the cap" he said looking at Danny

Danny looked at Kara's pleading eyes. He was never able to say no to Kara when she looked at him like that. He sighed and looked at Tex "Anything happens to her, I'm holding you personally responsible. Clear?"

"Crystal" Tex nodded "Get going"

Danny kissed Kara on the forehead. He would have kissed her properly but he doubted now was the time, not when the captain might be in trouble "Be safe" he told her

"You too" Kara replied

Danny and Kara shared a loving look with each other before Danny headed up the stairs again.

"Alright, let's get you two out of here" Tex said as he led the way down the corridor

…

Thorwald reached the top floor of the building. He crept up behind a Baltimore cop and wrapped his arm around the man's neck. Thorwald wrenched the ex-cop's neck to the side and with a sickening crunch, the man went limp.

Thorwald lowered the body to the ground. When he looked at the man's face, he recognised his. His name was Jimmy. A cop that Thorwald used to see frequently when he was a detective in the BPD.

Thorwald silently approached the door to Amy Granderson's office. This is where it finally ends. After months of struggling in guerrilla-style tactics on the streets of Baltimore, after losing countless men to the virus and the highway cops, it was going to end with the death of but one more person.

Thorwald peeked inside the window and saw Granderson sitting at her desk in the corner of the room. She was acting as if all was well even though the only lighting she had was a small candle.

"Politicians – always pretending there's nothing wrong" Thorwald shook his head. If Granderson wanted to pretend her empire was still fully functioning, then Thorwald was gonna show her exactly how much she had lost.

Thorwald pushed open the door and crept inside. He swept the room to make sure that they were alone. There were no secret doors or hidden entrances. Granderson was completely alone now.

"Did you come to read me my rights?" Granderson said without looking up from the paper she was writing on

"No. And I forgot to bring my handcuffs"

Granderson finally looked up at Thorwald. She didn't seem the least bit worried that a man was standing in her office, poised to kill her "Hoping I'd go without a fight?" she asked

"Not your style. Why change now?" Thorwald raised an eyebrow

Granderson shook her head at the warlord "The things we could have done for this city. We didn't have to be enemies"

Thorwald nodded "Yeah, we did"

"Oh well" Granderson looked off to Thorwald's side.

Thorwald looked to his left. He only just realised the cop sneaking up from behind him. He scrambled for his weapon.

GUNSHOT

Thorwald looked down at himself. He ran his hand along his chest.

Nothing

Thorwald looked at the cop and surprisingly, blood started to dribble down from the man's mouth. The cop fell to his knees and collapsed to the floor. Behind him, that Lieutenant - Danny Green – had his weapon up and smoke was still pouring out from his gun barrel.

"Nice shot" Thorwald thanked the lieutenant

"Well, I was just passing by, thought you could use a little help" Danny said with a neutral tone

Thorwald turned back to Granderson "Oh, well" he said before shooting her through the head.

A thick red tar splattered onto the wall behind Granderson as brain matter and blood mixed and dribbled down the wall in streams. Danny ducked his head to the side so that he didn't have to see it.

Danny quietly left the room leaving Thorwald to his victory. Granderson was gone and Kara was safe again. He had done his duty to the woman he loved. That was all that was on his mind as he walked down the corridor.

…

Danny searched the building from top to bottom for Alisha. Finally, he found her standing next to the captain, safe and unharmed.

"Captain. Ma'am" Danny nodded to each in turn

"Lieutenant" Chandler nodded to the officer "Any sign of Amy Granderson?"

Danny cast a look at Alisha before looking back to the captain "Thorwald took her down captain" he said simply

Alisha looked down at the ground. She closed her eyes remorsefully, but to Danny's surprise she remained silent. She didn't cry. She didn't react

"Well…I believe we're done here. Let's get everyone back to the ship" Chandler said "Let's get our home back"

"Yes captain" Danny nodded

…

Thorwald sent several of him men with Chandler down to the docks to retake the _Nathan James. _But to everyone's astonishment, when they got there they were greeted by Slattery himself on the pier.

"Mike, what's going on?" Chandler asked

"Ship's ours again captain" Mike said proudly "Granderson's men have been dealt with and subdued" Mike gestured to the bow of the ship where several dozen of the Baltimore cops were on their knees with their hands bound behind their backs.

"Did we lose anyone?" Chandler asked

"A few captain" Mike looked down at the ground "They fought bravely. Did everything you'd expect of a naval officer"

Chandler nodded and looked remorsefully at the body bags also on the bow of the ship. Each one contained a member of the _Nathan James_ crew that had died in the fighting.

Even though he had fought as hard as he could, he still couldn't prevent the deaths of more of his crew. It was times like these that Chandler wondered if they would ever find a safe place to land. Or at least a place where they weren't shot at on sight.

…

In the end, the remaining Baltimore cops were taken off of the _Nathan James _by Thorwald's men and brought to Avocet and locked up in the make-shift prison that Amy Granderson had set in her complex. Thorwald had promised the captain that they would all get a fair trial. Justice, not vengeance, Chandler reminded the detective when the two shook hands outside the Avocet building.

Thorwald had set up his new base of operations inside Avocet. If he was going to start change anywhere, he may as well start at what was the worst point in the whole of Baltimore.

Dr Scott had given them whatever remaining stores of the cure they already had and left instructions to some of the doctors in Avocet on how to make more. The lab would be able to produce thousands every day. Thorwald was going to keep an eye on them and make sure that the cure was spread to everyone and not just selected people.

…

So, when all was said and done, the ship was prepped to leave at 1300 in the afternoon. The captain had given his crew the remaining time to take some down time and relax so long as they stayed within the safe zone that Thorwald's men had established.

Danny had 'borrowed' one of the Avocet SUVs and taken Kara on a surprise trip. He wouldn't tell her where no matter how many times she pleaded with him to tell her on the way there. But, Danny just smirked a giant toothy grin every time she asked and kept tight-lipped.

When they got there, Kara was glad that Danny didn't tell her. It really would have ruined the surprise.

Kara looked out at Baltimore city from the ridge and watched as the sun crept up over the horizon. The bright orange glow cast a beautiful shine on the city below them.

"Danny, it's beautiful" Kara said sincerely. One of Kara's all-time favourite things to do while serving on-board the _Nathan James _was to watch the many stunning views they came across. If she had a camera, she would definitely have taken a picture.

"I'm uh…I'm glad you like it" Danny said

Kara frowned and looked back at Danny concerned. It was then that she realised he was crying. There were tears forming in Danny's eyes as he looked at her. Kara immediately placed a comforting hand on Danny's cheek "Hey, what is it?" she asked. Did something happen that she wasn't aware of? Was he injured?

Kara immediately pushed that thought away. If there was something wrong with him, he wouldn't have risked himself by bringing them up here. Not just for a pretty sight.

Danny tearfully placed his hand atop Kara's on his cheek. He fell to his knees in front of Kara and placed his head on her abdomen "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry" he mumbled over and over again, letting the tears spill over onto Kara's uniform.

"Danny! What's wrong?" she asked. Now Kara really was thinking there might be something wrong with him.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't enough" he sobbed

"Shhh" Kara rubbed the back of Danny's head in an attempt to comfort him "What do you mean?" The last time Danny was like this was when Frankie died. Surely, it couldn't be about that, could it?

"I wasn't able to protect you. They took you and I couldn't stop them!" Danny growled

Kara blinked as realisation dawned on her "Oh, Danny…" she cooed. Kara crouched down so that her' and Danny's faces were level again. She put two fingers under his chin and tilted his head up "Look at me" she told him quietly. When Danny looked up at her, with tears wetting the side of his face "There was nothing you could have done. The entire crew of the _Nathan James_ wasn't able to stop them. You couldn't have seen what they were doing"

"I should have tried! I should have been there!"

"They would have killed you if you did Danny" When she didn't see any change in Danny's face, she changed the subject "But, you still came for me. If you had stayed on the ship, they would have captured you too. You wouldn't have been able to stop Granderson, you wouldn't have been able to get to me. You _saved me_ Danny. You've always been there to save me before and you were there this time as well"

Kara pulled Danny up by the hands. The SEAL blindly followed her movements and slowly pushed himself up to his feet. Kara placed a hand on either side of Danny's face. She smiled up at him

Danny smiled back "What did I do to deserve you?" he sniffled and wiped the tears from his face.

"You're you. You're Danny Green. That's all I want you to be"

…

Kara rested her head on Danny's shoulder and Danny rested his head atop hers. They watched as the sun rose fully from under the horizon. It signalled a new day, and with each new day came new experiences and stories. The two of them had stayed where they were for hours silently clinging on to each other to remind themselves that they were actually together.

"How much do you love me?"

Danny glanced down at Kara. He would never get tired of seeing her beautiful face. _Never_. Danny pressed a kiss to Kara's head.

"More than you can ever understand" Danny said

Kara smiled and rested her hand on her abdomen. Danny placed his large hand over her smaller one.

"How can we raise a baby in a world like this? Where someone might try to harm our child because they're desperate for some food or some water?" Kara asked

"We'll manage. We always do" Danny told her

"How can you know?" Kara asked

Danny rubbed at Kara's stomach softly "Because I'll fight. I will fight for as long as I have to in order to protect you and our child. For as long as I live, I swear, neither of you will ever have to be afraid again"

Kara smiled and snuggled up closer to Danny. His warm body provided a constant source of heat and comfort for her.

"Besides, you're only 2 months along. You can do a lot in the 7 months to come. You could, say…cure the world of a plague. We could rebuild the entire world from the ground up. A world that is safe for all of us. For our child and for us and everyone that comes after us"

Danny rubbed Kara's shoulder affectionately. Kara took Danny's hand in her own and rubbed her thumb against the side of his hand.

"I love you Kara Foster. I will always love you no matter what. No matter how far I have to go, no matter what I have to do, I will always come back to you" Danny said "I swear I shall never leave you again Kara. No matter what"

Kara smiled from where she sat. There were seldom moments that they could have on their own like this while on board the _Nathan James_. It was a small ship inhabited by a crew of over a hundred. There weren't that many places to hide and PDA was still and probably was going to continue being a big no-no for them. At least, so long as they remained aboard the ship.

But neither Kara nor Danny planned on staying on the _Nathan James _forever. It was their home for now, but one day Kara hoped to be able to live in a more permanent place. Where she, Danny and their child could live in safety and happiness.

"We had better get back. Captain'll be wondering where we've gone to" Danny scooped Kara up and carried her bridal style- hopefully not for the only time, Danny thought – and Kara laughed out loud as he spun her round in a circle. When he stopped, Kara placed a hand on either side of Danny face and kissed him.

Danny put Kara down carefully and opened the car door for her. Kara rolled her eyes playfully and climbed in. Danny closed her door and walked round to the driver's seat. He started the car and put it into reverse.

When they turned onto the road heading back into the city, Kara looked over at Danny. She interlocked her fingers with Danny's. Danny briefly looked over at Kara and he smiled brightly.

Kara smirked. They were together. And that was all that mattered.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for reading this far. Tell me what you thought in a review. If you've got any suggestions, please tell me and I'll act on it.

See you next time :)


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